Braised Pork and Eel, 'Saddle Bridge' Style (Da Shao Ma An Qiao)

Name: Braised Pork and Eel, 'Saddle Bridge' Style (Da Shao Ma An Qiao)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Ingredients: 1000 g Live eel; 150 g Garlic cloves; 55 g Fine salt; 100 g Soy sauce; 10 g Caramel color; 20 g Scallion knot; 15 g Green garlic shreds; 25 g Sesame oil; 300 g Pork leg meat (preferably with skin); 2.5 g Shaoxing wine; 85 g Aromatic vinegar; 20 g Sugar; 0.5 g White pepper powder; 20 g Ginger slices; 10 g Cornstarch slurry; 150 g Rendered pork lard

Eel segments braised with pork, named for its saddle-bridge shape, with a deep reddish-brown glaze and a rich, thickened sauce.

1h 10m

Easy

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Braised Pork and Eel, 'Saddle Bridge' Style (Da Shao Ma An Qiao)

Ingredients

Live eel 1000 g

Garlic cloves 150 g

Fine salt 55 g

Soy sauce 100 g

Caramel color 10 g

Scallion knot 20 g

Green garlic shreds 15 g

Sesame oil 25 g

Pork leg meat (preferably with skin) 300 g

Shaoxing wine 2.5 g

Aromatic vinegar 85 g

Sugar 20 g

White pepper powder 0.5 g

Ginger slices 20 g

Cornstarch slurry 10 g

Rendered pork lard 150 g

Instructions

Step 1

Slit open the eel, remove the innards, wash clean, and cut into 4.5 cm segments; make 2–3 shallow cuts on each segment. Place a pot over high heat, add water along with 50 g fine salt and 75 g aromatic vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add the eel segments and blanch briefly, then remove and rinse once the liquid returns to a boil. Rinse the pork and cut it into rectangular thick slices about 4.5 cm long; set aside.

Step 2

Heat a wok over high heat, add 50 g rendered pork lard, and heat to about 50% hot. Add the scallion knot (10 g) and ginger slices (5 g), then add the pork slices. Stir-fry until the pork changes color, pour in 50 g soy sauce and 500 g water, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Step 3

In another wok over high heat, add 100 g rendered pork lard and heat to about 50% hot. Add the garlic cloves and briefly fry, then remove the wok from the heat and let it rest covered for about 3 minutes. Return to high heat, lift out the garlic cloves, add 10 g scallion knot and 5 g ginger slices, then add the eel segments and toss a few times. Add 5 g aromatic vinegar, 50 g soy sauce, 5 g fine salt, Shaoxing wine, caramel color, and 150 g water. Bring to a boil, then remove the wok from the heat.

Step 4

Transfer the pork slices and eel segments into a clay pot fitted with a bamboo mat, pour in the pork broth and eel braising liquid, add the sugar, and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Raise the heat to reduce and thicken the sauce, thicken with cornstarch slurry, drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with white pepper powder, and finish with green garlic shreds.